DH and I became foster parents this summer to a 5 year old boy (DS) and a 2 year old girl (DD; no relation between the two). It is highly likely that we will get to adopt DS in the near-ish future. Parental visitation has already been terminated; now we wait for TPR. DD’s bio family is doing all they can to get her back so she’s a “love her while you’ve got her” kind of situation.
All that said, we’d love to be able to take them to our happy place in December. I’ve got a refundable package booked and dining reservations made. All we need now is for the “system” to work in our favor quickly enough to get the trip rolling. We’re based in NC and taking the kids out of state lines requires permission from either birth parents in DD’s case or the courts in DS’s case.
I guess I type all of that asking for pixie dust, positive vibes, and prayers that things go the way I want them to and we get to take “our” kids for the first time in 59 days.
I am not a foster mom. I know quite a few. Did you have any specific travel questions you’d like me see if they know the answers to? I’m in SC; not NC.
And - Thank you and God bless you.
Those are not easy shoes to fill.
I all the documents get signed and all the red tape is cut so that you can take your kids to WDW and have a magnificent time. That’s a great time of year.
Two years ago I got a teen foster placement on a Tuesday, and that Friday she left with my teen and I to go with us on our Universal trip. She was considered a kinship placement, though, as she is the bio first cousin to my adopted-through- foster care teen. The caseworker and bio mom had to sign papers, and that was pretty much it. I added on two days at Disney since she had never been plus a morning drive to Cocoa beach since she had never seen the ocean before as well. I’m hoping it all works out for you and the little ones and you get take both on your trip.
I’m not a parent, foster or biological, but I’m a member of an organization that holds events where people will sometimes bring their children’s friends with them. In those cases there is paperwork that needs to be done that states the parent/guardian knows the child is with someone else (sounds like that’s what you’re already handling) AND states who is authorized to make medical decisions and such in case of an emergency.
Both of our DSs (now 14 & 17) were placed with us in foster care as babies and we were able to adopt them as toddlers. I vividly remember having to get permission from DCFS each time we wanted to take them out of state when they were still foster children. They have been to either WDW or DL every year of their lives and we cherish all those fun and trying memories of our trips, but they bind us together asd a family. If you are not already skilled in patience and tolerance, you will be.
Has DCFS given you any guidance on how early you can or should request permission to travel? I am guessing that most of us here are planners and having that kind of uncertainty can be nerve wracking.
Here in NC, it’s “the earlier, the better”. We should hear from DS5’s people, hopefully, this afternoon. I’m in a group chat with DD2’s bio parents (they’re putting in the work to get her back), so I’m hopeful that they’ll let her go without a fight. Fingers and toes crossed!
Welp. DD2’s parents for sure don’t want her to fly and possibly don’t want her to go at all. They also don’t like the idea of her going to a respite home while we take DS5. His parents haven’t responded yet so we’re still hopeful on that end.
I get them having a say in her traveling, but are they able to say you aren’t allowed to go? (I don’t know the in’s and out’s of parental rights. Can they have that influence?)
Most of NC would put you within a 12 hour drive. Could y’all do that if necessary?
It’s about 9-10 hours without stops here where we are in between Asheville and Charlotte. They have parental rights until they don’t which makes no sense to me either.
We’re going to offer driving as an alternate option.
If DS5 (who is closer to parental rights termination) ‘s people say he can’t go, we’ll just postpone until adoption on him is finalized.
all the documents get signed and all the red tape is cut so that you can take your kids to WDW and have a magnificent time. That’s a great time of year.
Two years ago I got a teen foster placement on a Tuesday, and that Friday she left with my teen and I to go with us on our Universal trip. She was considered a kinship placement, though, as she is the bio first cousin to my adopted-through- foster care teen. The caseworker and bio mom had to sign papers, and that was pretty much it. I added on two days at Disney since she had never been plus a morning drive to Cocoa beach since she had never seen the ocean before as well. I’m hoping it all works out for you and the little ones and you get take both on your trip. 
